Our USA Presidents have a uniquely solitary job. They surround themselves with the strength and wisdom of talented and experienced people, but as Harry Truman once said, "The buck stops here." We can hardly imagine the weight of decisions they must bear. Perhaps that is why we are so familiar with the before and after photographs depicting the accelerated aging process while in office. These leaders deserve some time to relax and unwind.

Some of the greatest times anyone can enjoy are when we can let our guard down because we are among those who have been where we have been: people who know the truth and don't make harsh judgments. We can have a great time with each other especially after the challenge has been met and the heat is off. We can talk, commiserate and just be ourselves.

Who do former presidents hang out with? Wouldn't it be just a great time if they could "let their hair down" together and just have a time to laugh and remember? Can you imagine that?

Limited Edition Print A reproduction of a painting in a set amount determined by the artist. For example, an artist may want to reproduce a painting in an edition of 1,000. Therefore, only one thousand prints will be created and no more. This adds exclusivity and value to the print. Some of these prints explode in value once they are sold out, giving them a two for one bonus; incredible beauty and a great investment. While many people invest in paintings, others invest in limited edition prints. These prints are signed and numbered individually, often in this manner - 234/1000, meaning it was the 234rd print out of the edition of one thousand. Usually the low numbers (1, 2, 3.) will have more value than the larger numbers. A certificate of authenticity accompanies each limited edition print. As a general rule, the larger the size of a print, the higher the cost.

Artist Proof (or AP) When an artist decides to reproduce a painting, he or she will go to a publisher. The publisher will print the first fifty or so and then stop. The publisher will then show the artist the results of the first fifty to await the artists approval. If the artist approves of the publishers work (which they usually do), the publisher will continue with the rest of the edition. Those first few prints are designated as artist proofs. They will look exactly the same as a limited edition print, but they carry an AP in the corner of the print. Artist proofs are highly coveted by collectors. A tip from us at Elegant Horse Pictures; if you are not a collector, buy the limited edition and save money, as artist proofs are slightly higher in cost.

Canvas Edition (or canvas transfer) A reproduction of a painting onto a canvas base. Canvases are higher in cost than paper prints but have several advantages:

1) Canvases look like an original. If you've ever seen a piece of art on a wall and wondered if was a painting, it probably was a canvas reproduction

2) Canvases are more durable. They last for decades

3) Glass is not needed when framing canvases

4) Canvases are usually in smaller editions, hence more exclusivity

Giclee (pronounced gee-clay, French for ("spray of ink") A high resolution, color reproduction process, that can be processed on paper or canvas. Giclees are superior to traditional prints in nearly every way. The colors are brighter, last longer, and are so high-resolution that they are virtually 'continuous tone', rather than tiny dots. Here's another tip from us at Elegant Horse Pictures; think of giclees as HDTV, while other limited editions are traditional color tv.

Giclee on Canvas The creme de la creme of fine art reproduction. When artists decide to publish giclees on canvas, they are usually in smaller editions than traditional limited edition prints, sometimes as few as ten. This is one of the factors in their much higher retail costs.

Stretched Canvas A canvas print that is attached to something which enables it to be shipped flat. The shipping costs are higher with stretched canvases.

Unstretched Canvas A canvas print that is rolled up and shipped in a tube. Here's a tip from us at Elegant Horse Pictures; save the shipping costs and buy the unstretched canvas. A framer will have no problem in creating the frame with an unstretched canvas.

If you have any further questions, we are ALWAYS available to help by phone (toll-free 866-333-5963) - seven days a week, all the way up to midnight.